Four-wheel brake equalizer



A ril 18, 1939. R. E. GERNDT- FOUR-WHEEL BRAKE EQUALI ZER Original Filed Nov. 2, 1936 OAUi-EGWOQ Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 108,870, November 2, 1936.

This application September 9, 1938, Serial No. 229,165

3 Claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a four-Wheel brake equalizer that will apply four brakes and keep all brakes equalized as in hydraulic brakes. I attain these and other objects of my invention by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section through one of the shafts I I, members 24 and 28 inclusive being omitted from this view;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in elevation of members I3 and I6 to 20 inclusive;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of members I3, I6, I'I, I8 and 20 with portions broken away.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a modified form of brake activating mechanism using a cable instead of rods.

Like numerals designate like parts in each of the several views.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, there is illustrated the usual shaft I between the frames on which is mounted a brake pedal 2. The clevis 4 is pivotally connected to the shank of the brake pedal by a pin 3; the drag-link 5 affixed to the clevis 4 is in turn ailixed to the clevis 6 which is pivotally connected by pin I with the finger lever 8 which terminates in a ring or body afiixed to 30 one of the aligned and rotatable shafts I I by a suitable means such as pin I0. Mounted on the inner ends of shafts II, preferably as shown in Fig. 1 is a box-like housing I2. Attached to and integral with housing I2 are hollow bosses I3 seated on and affixed to the inner ends of the aligned rotatable shafts II by pins I4 (see Fig. 1), securing the bosses I3 to shafts II. Housing I2 is provided with channels I5, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4; housing I2 has the ends I6 secured 40 in place by suitable means such as screws H, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The sliding block I8 is slidably mounted within the box I2 between the sides I5, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This sliding block has threaded holes I9, as shown in Fig. 1 to receive the threaded ends of clevises 20. Afilxed to sliding box I8, as illustrated in detail in Fig. 3 is a screw and clevis 28 to which the clevis fitting 22 is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 2|. Afllxed to clevis fitting 22 is a drag-link 23 to which a clevis 24 is affixed. Pivotally mounted on clevis 24 by pivot pin 25 is the yoke 26. Clevises 28 are pivotally connected by pin 2'! to each end of the yoke 26. Clevises 28 are each affixed to the brake rod 29 and are attached to the operating finger 30 of the brake assembly B,

as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. There are provided a plurality of the links 23 and a plurality of the clevises 28 attached to the opposite ends of the sliding block I 8, the respective clevises 22 being affixed to corresponding links 23, which in turn are attached to the respective yokes 26, thereby operating all four brakes.

The operation of the device will be apparent by careful examination of the drawing in Fig. 1. When the brake pedal 2 is pressed down it in turn operates the clevis 4, the link 5, clevis 6 and finger lever B, and thus rotates the shaft II to which member 8 is affixed; the shaft II carries the housing I2 within the slidable box I8. As the box I8 tilts or swings in an arc, it also carries the clevis 20 and operates fitting 22, link 23, clevis 24, yoke 26, clevis 28, links 29 and operating finger 30, which in turn operates the braking mechanism of the braking assemblies B. It will be noted that shafts I I do not extend through the box but merely extend to its sides and are affixed to the bosses I3 carried by the sides of the box housing I2.

Referring to Fig. 5 of the drawing there is an illustration of a modification of the yoke mechanism in which the yoke 26 is replaced by a wheel or pulley segment 26' pivotally mounted on the links 23' by a pivot pin 25'. A cable 29 passes over the wheel segments 26' and is connected to the respective operating fingers 30 of the brake assemblies B, as shown in Fig. 5. The result of this construction is that there is equalized brake action on all four wheels without the frequent adjustment of brakes. In other words, it offers to the mechanical brake field a mechanism that is equal in aotionto hydraulic brakes and at the same time it is safer as it is not likely to get out of order as is the case with hydraulic brakes.

What I claim is:

1. In a mechanical four-wheel brake equalizer, the combination of a brake pedal, aligned rotatable shafts spaced from the brake pedal, a finger lever affixed to one of the said shafts, link mechanism operatively connecting the end of the finger lever with the brake pedal; a box-like housing affixed to the inner ends of the aforesaid aligned rotatable shafts, a rigid block slidably mounted within said housing, yokes, a plurality of links pivotally connecting the sliding block with the aforesaid yokes and rods connecting the respective ends of the yoke with the respective four wheel brake assemblies, whereby the operation of the brake pedal will operate all of the brakes simultaneously.

2. In a mechanical four wheel brake equalizer, the combination of a brake pedal, aligned rotatable shafts spaced from the brake pedal; a finger lever affixed to one of the said shafts, link mechanism operatively connecting the end of the finger lever with the brake pedal; a box-like housing afiixed to the inner ends of the aforesaid aligned rotatable shafts, a rigid block slidably mounted within said housing, yokes, a plurality of links pivotally connecting the sliding block with the aforesaid yokes and means operativey' connect ing the respective ends of the yoke with the respective four wheel brake assemblies, whereby operation of the brake pedal will operate all of the d brakes simultaneously.

3. In a mechanical four wheel brake equalizer,

the combination of a brake pedal, aligned rotatable shafts spaced from the brake pedal; a finger lever affixed to one of the said shafts, link mechanism operatively connecting the end of the finger lever with the brake pedal; a box-like housing affixed to the inner ends of the aforesaid aligned rotatable shafts, a rigid member slidably mounted within said housing, yokes, a plurality of links pivotally connecting the said slidable rigid members with the aforesaid yokes, and rods connecting the respective ends of the yoke with the respective four wheel brake assemblies, whereby operation of the brake pedal will operate all of the brakes simultaneously.

ROBERT E. GERNDT. 

